The sanctuary of the Marsh Harbour Gospel Chapel was packed to capacity on the evening of December 16 for the Marsh Harbour Gospel Chapel’s Choir performance of their Christmas Cantata. They had already sung to a very appreciative audience the previous evening in the same location and also earlier in the month at Cherokee Sound, Treasure Cay and Guana Cay. They were scheduled to give one more performance of this wonderful cantata on Man-O War Cay within the next few days. Each year the choir presents a cantata as its Christmas gift to the community and it always marks the beginning of the Christmas season in a very joyous and poignant way.

Marsh Harbour Gospel Chapel holds annual Christmas Cantata

The sanctuary of the Marsh Harbour Gospel Chapel was packed to capacity on the evening of December 16 for the Marsh Harbour Gospel Chapel’s Choir performance of their Christmas Cantata. They had already sung to a very appreciative audience the previous evening in the same location and also earlier in the month at Cherokee Sound, Treasure Cay and Guana Cay. They were scheduled to give one more performance of this wonderful cantata on Man-O War Cay within the next few days. Each year the choir presents a cantata as its Christmas gift to the community and it always marks the beginning of the Christmas season in a very joyous and poignant way.

Prior to the choir’s entry for the cantata, the audience joined together in singing some well-loved Christmas carols. This year, in addition to the usual guitar, drum and piano accompaniment, a trio of two flutes and a violin was added.

Christopher Sawyer confidently opened the evening’s programme with his solo ‘Born in Bethlehem’ which was followed by a soaring rendition of ‘O holy night’ by Ebony Albury. Young Racquel Albury gave a very sensitive performance of ‘One King’ and was followed by her grandfather, Pastor David Cartwright, singing the well-loved ‘Beautiful star of Bethlehem’.

The 18 member choir presented this year’s cantata ‘Silent night, holy night’, with the powerful and spirited sound for which they are noted. Choir director, Kevin Sawyer, as always did an excellent job of presenting a very well disciplined choir with impeccable harmonies. The only solo in the cantata this year was sung by Londa Sawyer who was accompanied in sign language by her nephew, Myron Sawyer. Everyone looks forward to Myron’s performances each year.

This year, the music was further highlighted by magnificent visual images of the Nativity projected onto a large screen behind the choir. The beautiful illustrations followed an opening shot of a crowded and noisy shopping mall reminding people that the focus of the season is not hustle and bustle and noise and that the music presented that evening would be the real music of the season.

At the close of the cantata, choir director Kevin Sawyer stated that preparing the cantata had been a lot of fun and he hoped that people had paid attention to its message. “A lot of people want to get rid of the true meaning of Christmas but on Christmas morning when you are exchanging and opening gifts think about what God did for us in giving His only Son as our Savior,” he commented.